Present for Papa
by feelthesarcasm
Summary: Miles and Franziska help Trucy knit a hat for her father. OneShot


He had heard about Phoenix Wright's disbarment when he was overseas and was only alerted through a call from Gumshoe about a week after it happened. He was in disbelief at first; sure that it was just another mess Wright had gotten himself into that he would figure out, like everything else. He was good at getting everyone else out of impossible messes, but apparently that luck didn't extend to his own misfortune.

When he finally arrived back home, the first thing Miles did was head over to Phoenix's apartment/office to scold him for not informing him personally of the situation. Those plans changed when he got there and a little girl answered the door, announcing herself as Trucy Wright; his adopted daughter.

Miles had even more reason to scold the man. Not only had he not informed him of his situation but recklessly adopted a child while unemployed. He hadn't expected to find Phoenix curled up on the couch in an old sweatshirt, looking absolutely broken. He received a small ghost of a smile before turning his attention back to the magic show Trucy had been in the middle of performing when he arrived.

Over the next two months Miles found himself visiting the pair more often. It was haunting to see the friend that was once so strong when he was defending him in courts become the weak and fragile. The little girl seemed to be the only thing that was keeping him from cracking into a million pieces. After the initial shock and awkwardness wore off, he had asked Phoenix why he took in a child he could barely afford.

"She didn't have any other immediate family. I searched for two weeks and I didn't want her to fall into the wrong hands." He mumbled staring directly at Miles.

He knew that translated to 'I didn't want her being adopted by some psychopath like you were'. Lately Phoenix had been busy during the evenings, though he never informed Miles of where he was going. He had asked where the girl would be in his absence and Phoenix stated she'd be home waiting for him. Regardless of how much the other man believed it, he couldn't believe an eight year old to be responsible enough to watch herself. Even as mature as he was when he was nine, he wouldn't have been able to care for himself.

"Thanks a lot Edgeworth; it'll only be a couple of hours." Phoenix smiled walking out the door.

His alarm to Phoenix's relaxed parenting style had made him offer himself up as a sitter and now he was uncomfortably standing in his living room with a little girl gawking at him.

"Um...do you need anything?" He asked nervously.

Trucy looked as if she was about to speak but then saw something out of the corner of her eye and squeaked. "You have a doggy?!"

She immediately ran over to Pess to pet the dog and Miles sighed in relief. It wasn't that he didn't like children; he just didn't know how to act around them. They were needy little things, messy and couldn't make up their minds most of the time.

"Well, I'll be in my office if you need me." He mumbled, but the girl didn't seem to notice him retreating.

Two hours had passed and Miles hadn't heard a peep out of his young houseguest. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. What if she had tried to get something to eat and hurt herself? Or got scared because she couldn't find him and ran out the house? It wasn't as if she had been to his home before now.

Just as he was about to go looking for her, there was a small but swift knock on the door, Trucy walked in immediately after.

"Uncle Miles, I want to make daddy a present."

Miles grimaced at the nickname for a moment but managed to comprehend the rest of her sentence. "W-well what would you like to make him? A picture?"

"Nah, I've already made him plenty of pictures, I want to make him something else. Something that will make him really smile. He hasn't done that in a few days. At first I was going to make him a tie, but daddy doesn't wear suits anymore so he wouldn't need a tie. That's when I decided I wanted to make him a hat! Will you help me?"

He was truly mesmerized by the girl's concern for him. Someone who had been a stranger to her just months ago yet she seemed to take to immediately. They were almost perfect for one another.

"I...I have never been very good with arts and crafts, perhaps I could take you to a store to purchase a hat for your father?"

Trucy frowned crossing her arms. "No. Homemade gifts are best. I wanted to make him a top hat first but it didn't look right in the pictures I drew." She took her top hat off digging inside of it until she pulled out a drawing. "I want to do something like this, a knit hat. Daddy said my hugs are warm and he likes them, so I want to make him a warm hat that will hug his head."

Miles took the drawing from her hands looking it over. He would be lying if he said her reasoning for such a gift wasn't touching. She was more like Phoenix Wright than she'd probably ever know. "Very well, I do have some knitting supplies." He hesitated before taking her hand leading her to the hall closet. "Now then, what color do you want the hat to be?"

"Well, I like pink and red but daddy seems to like blue and it is a gift for him. So I want it to be blue with pink letters on it."

He couldn't even fathom the hideous color combination but got out blue and pink yarn anyway, along with the knitting needles. "I haven't knitted in quite some time but I think I still remember how."

* * *

After an hour of attempting to teach Trucy to knit and remembering how to do it himself, the hat was nowhere near finished.

"I don't think you're very good at this Uncle Miles." Trucy stated, carefully trying not to drop her needle.

He groaned slightly rubbing his sore thumb. "Yes, well as I said it's been some time since I've done this. My fingers are much bigger now."

The front door slamming abruptly brought an end to their conversation. Miles assumed Phoenix had returned until he heard the familiar sound of heels clicking against his hardwood floor.

"Miles Edgeworth, where are you?"

The very last person he wanted to deal with at the moment. It wasn't uncommon for Franziska to turn up unannounced when she came to visit. He just wished it would have been any night but tonight.

Franziska walked into the living room glaring at him. "Miles Edgeworth, did you not hear me calling you?" She stated, raising her whip before she noticed the little girl sitting next to him. "And who is this?"

Trucy immediately leaped from her place on the floor and walked over before Miles had the chance to stop her. "My name is Trucy." She smiled holding her hand out.

"Franziska Von karma, prosecuting prodigy and keeper of my foolish little brother, Miles Edgeworth." She responded giving a polite curtsy as she shook her hand.

"Do you know how to knit Aunt Franziska? I'm making daddy a hat."

Her eyes widened as she looked at the child, then Edgeworth, then back at the child. "Aunt?" She stalked past the child hitting Miles across the arm with her whip. "You fool! Why does this child call me her aunt? What foolish behavior have you foolishly gotten yourself into, Miles Edgeworth?"

Miles quickly grabbed his arm from the sting of the whip, glaring at her. "She is NOT my child. She's Wright's adopted daughter?"

"Phoenix Wright?" Franziska snorted and hit him with her whip again. "That fool! What type of foolishly foolish fool takes in a child when he is unemployed?"

"Ow, I do not know. Why are you whipping me?!"

"Because it appears that the fool is not here and I cannot whip the child. Therefore the burden of my punishment falls on you, Miles Edgeworth."

Trucy watched the siblings curiously as she returned to the knitting sighing. "I'm a pretty good magician, but not a good knitter."

Franziska snatched up the unfinished piece inspecting it. "This is a terribly sloppy job. You have no skill Miles Edgeworth. With every passing day I come to find out more imperfect things about you."

Miles bit the inside of his cheek. "Will you assist or won't you?"

"It seems I have no choice. This...whatever this is will not be a suitable present. Not even for a man as foolish as Phoenix Wright. What is the finished product supposed to look like?"

Trucy handed her the same drawing she had shown Miles earlier. "Hmph, it looks rather ridiculous. It is perfect for your father but there is a problem with this design. It's right here."

The girl looked over Franziska's shoulder curiously to see what she was pointing out. "But I want it to say daddy."

"Daddy is childish. It should read Papa. Doesn't that sound better?"

"Franziska it is her present, let her...Ngh!" Miles whimpered slightly grabbing his shoulder.

"You stay out of this. The ladies are speaking."

Trucy studied her drawing, giving the proposal some thought. "Can it still be in pink?"

"If you insist."

"Okay! Papa then."

Franziska smiled. "Very good. See Miles Edgeworth, this child isn't foolish. Unlike you and Phoenix Wright."

"Aunt Franziska why do you carry a whip?"

She took a seat on the couch picking up the knitting needles, Trucy settling in next to her. "I've learned that it's the only way to get the attention of fools and to get them to do what you want. Why are you making this gift for your papa?"

"To cheer him up so he won't be sad anymore."

Franziska looked over at Miles who frowned in return. "That's...a very good reason. I'm sure he will be pleased to get it. Now then young Trucy Wright, I will teach you two very important things tonight. How to properly knit a hat and how to handle a whip."

* * *

Phoenix returned at four in the morning, trying to be as quiet as he could. He had to remember to thank Miles in the morning, even if it meant first being yelled at for coming back so late/early. The house was dark, with the exception of the glare coming off the fireplace. It was just enough light for him to see Trucy sleeping on the couch, cuddled in between Miles and Franziska under a large blanket. Empty cups of tea lay on the coffee table in front of them.

He scratched his head. "Guess I missed something last night."

Trucy stirred first opening one eye before she quickly shrugged the blanket off running over to him. "Daddy, you're back!"

Phoenix smiled, shushing her as he lifted her up. "Hey Truce, sorry I'm back so late. Looks like you might have had fun."

She squirmed back and ran over to the top hat that sat next to the couch, pulling the beanie out of it. "I made this for you,daddy." She whispered nervously handing it over to him.

He bent down to her eye level, taking the hat running his fingers over the stitched 'Papa' lettering speechless. "You...made this for me?"

Trucy nodded eagerly. "Do you like it?"

He smiled obviously trying to blink back tears as he slid the hat on his head and pulled her in for a hug. "I love it Trucy."

Franziska and Miles watched silently from the couch. "He looks like a foolish hobo in that hoodie and is in dire need of a shave..." She whispered to Miles.

"Yes, he does."

"Perhaps, I will stay in the country for a little while along with you. The child...will probably need me here."

Miles looked over at her before turning back to the father-daughter pair. "I think that would be wise."


End file.
